


Vampire Frodo Lives

by SharpestRose



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003), Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-08
Updated: 2011-07-08
Packaged: 2017-10-21 03:50:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/220602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharpestRose/pseuds/SharpestRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course Sam had come with him. What was Mr Frodo going to do if left alone? It was just like him, Sam thought with exasperated affection, to go off without thinking of simple things like food and equipment. And Sam was hardy, he could afford to lose a bit of blood, it wouldn't hurt him none. He didn't mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vampire Frodo Lives

At first, they told themselves and each other that it was the ring's influence. That it, like everything else clouding their lives, would go when they finished their quest and returned the small gold band to the fire it was born from.

Or the morgul blade, sometimes they blamed it. The poison hadn't faded yet, that was all. Soon everything would be all right again.

The pattern changed as time went on, though. Now Frodo would simply apologise, lick at the wound like a sated cat and then slink away back to his own bedroll, without the promises that it wouldn't be much longer. The hunger would stop. It was just part of being the ringbearer.

Sam still believed that. He knew Frodo wouldn't do it if he didn't have to. It would end well, and they'd go back to the Shire, and it would be all right. This wasn't so bad, for now.

There were advantages to the situation, after all. Frodo was stronger than he had been, strong enough to fight his way out of trouble when Boromir tried to overpower him. He lost energy fast but recovered it with equal quickness once he was fed. He could find his way easily through the worst of landscapes.

Of course Sam had come with him. What was Mr Frodo going to do if left alone? It was just like him, Sam thought with exasperated affection, to go off without thinking of simple things like food and equipment. And Sam was hardy, he could afford to lose a bit of blood, it wouldn't hurt him none. He didn't mind.

In fact, if he was honest with himself, Sam looked forward to the time when they stopped for the night and had a bite of dinner, Frodo always making a point of finding something nice to say about Sam's cooking even when it was thin scrapings indeed, and then lay down to sleep. Frodo's hands would curl around Sam's wrist lightly, his pulse banging sharply as a runner's even while his skin stayed cool and dry.

They'd used a knife to open the skin at first, until Frodo's teeth grew sharp and long enough to puncture neatly. Usually he'd use the left wrist, sometimes the neck if it had been an especially tiring day. Once they'd argued about it, the night after bidding farewell to Galadriel. Frodo said he could go hungry, that Sam shouldn't have to do this, of all things, for him, but Sam wouldn't hear a word of it.

"Speaking plainly, Mr Frodo, I quite like it. It don't hurt like an ordinary cut, you see, rather it feels like-" he'd trailed off, embarrassed.

"Being inside a song?" Frodo had finished softly. Sam nodded.

That night Frodo had bitten the soft inside of Sam's leg, and had stayed curled around him all night afterwards.

Gollum had known, which made Sam even more sure that this was all part of the ring's work.

"Careful, the cutsss call out to enemies, and we don't want to be found, oh no precious. Hobbitses should be careful to cover woundses." he leered. Sam really didn't like Gollum.

Sometimes Frodo's hammering heart would slow to almost stillness, and his breathing would stop entirely. Sam would pinch him, just to check that he was alive, when that happened. Frodo would start awake, then smile sleepily at Sam and drift off again. One night the pinch left a dark bruise on Frodo's arm, and Sam couldn't stop looking at it until it faded back into the smooth white curve of skin.

"Do you want a taste, Sam?" Frodo asked one endless day as they walked together.

"That wouldn't be proper, Mr Frodo, you need all the strength you can muster."

"I didn't ask if it would be proper. I asked if you wanted it."

Sam didn't answer. Frodo brought his own hand to his mouth and bit into the heel of the palm, drawing two dark beads of blood out of the flesh.

"Here. Listen to the song as I hear it." Frodo offered. Sam held Frodo's hand gently, fastening his lips around the small cut. Frodo tasted like loss, Sam wondered if he was weeping as he drank. It was like swallowing a heartbreak, but underneath that it was as sweet and fine as the best vintage of Shire wine, Sam felt lightheaded as a tween on his first pipe.

"I'm glad you're with me." Frodo whispered, clutching at a handful of sandy hair as Sam moved his mouth to get a better seal around the bite. Or maybe he didn't say the words out loud at all. They didn't need to talk about such things anymore, they were simply understood.


End file.
